Fresh Lewis wearing out rest of the NFL

DAVID GINSBURGAssociated Press

Published Thursday, December 07, 2000

OWINGS MIILLS, Md. -- On his first play in his first NFL scrimmage, Jamal Lewis picked up one yard and a dislocated elbow. At the time, it appeared to be a serious blow for a rookie trying to crack the starting lineup.

In retrospect, it was a blessing.

Lewis returned from the injury in time for the Baltimore Ravens' season opener. He served as a backup to Priest Holmes during the first two weeks, gaining a mere 23 yards in 10 carries, but has since established himself as one of the most versatile running backs in the game.

''The fact that he didn't take the beating in training camp and in the preseason games, I guess you look at that as a positive,'' coach Brian Billick said.

Lewis displaced Holmes as a starter in Week 3. The former Tennessee star now ranks second among NFL rookies behind Denver's Mike Anderson with a team-record 1,095 yards, including 565 in his last four games -- all of them victories. In contrast, Baltimore's opponent this week, San Diego, has 867 yards rushing over the entire season.

''I'm not really worried about the yardage or the records,'' Lewis said. ''I'm not a big numbers guy.''

He likes winning most of all. Thanks in part to Lewis, the Ravens (9-4) are now within one victory of clinching their first trip to the postseason.

Best of all, even though there are still three games to play in the regular season, Lewis feels fresh.

''I think I'm in good condition. I knew what it would take, so I conditioned myself for the longer season,'' he said.

The injury helped. Lewis missed much of the two-a-days of training camp and had only four carries in four exhibition games.

He has participated in 13 games this year, more than he's ever played in one season. So last week's bye couldn't have come at a much better time.

''Not only because he's a rookie, but a running back. There's not a back in the league this time of year that doesn't enjoy not being hit on a Sunday,'' Billick said. ''The bye allows you to recuperate a little bit, so I imagine he's fresh and ready to go.''

Lewis has done everything the Ravens imagined when they made him the fifth overall pick in the draft. He has the ability to slip past a lineman, juke a linebacker and then run over a cornerback on his way to the end zone.

That, according to Billick, makes Lewis unlike any back in the league.

''He's got power plus speed, along with the elusiveness out of the backfield. He can catch, too,'' Billick said. ''I'm not going to say he's unique, but no one comes to mind in terms of having all those properties.''